Golf-ball.



F. L. O. WADSWORTH.

GOLF BALL. APPLICATION mso MAR. 28. 19H.

1,182,605, I Patented May 9, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- F. L. '0. WADSWORTH.

GOLF BALL.

'APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. m1.

Patented May 9 6 1 i l a H F. H 5 T F. E H s 2 W INVNTOR (01 a A! WITNESSES: I

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FRANK L. 0. WADSWORTH, 0F SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

GOLF-BALL.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK L. O. WADS- won'rH, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny' and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement -in' The further object of my invention is the production of a golf ball which will be comdurable in use.

paratively inexpensive and will also be very In the drawings which fdrn apart of this specification Figure 1 is a cross-section of a golf ball constructed in accordance with myinvention; Fig.2 is a detail view showing a method of constructing the shell of the ball illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is also a sectional view of another ball embodying my invention Fig. 4 is a sectional;view of an apparatus which may be used in the construction of the balls shown in Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating one manner of joining the parts of'the metal shells of Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of other embodiments of this invention; and Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a device for the "construction of the ball shown in Fig. 6.

The specific qualities which are of particular importance in golf balls are a high degree of resiliency, which will cause the ball td-leave the head of the club with a mininum loss of the energy imparted to it by the impact of the club head; accuracy of form and uniformity of 'mass distribution which will secure accuracy of play; an elasticity or elastic rigidity of form which will resist .distortion under severe use and the greatest possible carrying power which is in general obtained by the conservation of the rotative momentum resulting from the spin of the ball as it leaves the head of the club. This conservation of rotative momentum or spinis dependent upon the distribution ofmaterial in the body of the ball. It will be the maximum when the mass of material is concentrated as closely as possibleto the outer surface. In order Specification of Letters Patent.

Iblows of the club.

"that the golf ball may have carrying power it also necessary that the ball have a cer tain weight, in order to give it enough momentum to avoid a too sudden checkingl of its flight by the resistance of the air.' The resistance of the air increases very rapidly with the velocity of the flight, and with the size of the ball.

bemade very small and at the same time made very heavy and very resilient, the distance to which it could be driven through the air would be correspondingly increased. But the reduction of the size of the ball is limited by the conditions of play, which necessitate the use of a ball large enough to be readily found and also large enough to enable it to be struck with the club head the material used is. rubber or gutta percha, which has a very. high'degree of resiliency,

but which is of comparatively small density, and is also easily cut or distorted by the 'Because of thelow density of this material'the ball must be made solid in order to obtain sufiicient weight without undue increase in size, and consequently undue resistance of the air to its flight. Making the ball solid greatly reduces its rotative momentum under a cer-' tain spin, and correspondingly reduces the length of time during which this spin will persist. As is well understood, it is the effect of this spin which is largely responsible for sustaining the ball in the air and enabling it to be driven a long distance. It is evident, therefore that any construction which will retain weight, resiliency, and elastic rigidity of form and at the same time obtain a greater degree of rotative mollatenteol May 9, 1916.

. Application filed March 28, 1911. Serial No. 617,523.

If the ball could i mentuni, will correspondingly increase the length of such flight.

These objects are attained in my inven'-. tion by constructing the golf ball with an outer shell composed in whole or in part of of different metal varies from 9 to 13 times the density of rubber, and as the weight of a spherical shell or layerofa given thickness ball,

varies as the square of the-diameter of that layer, it is possible to obtain by the use of comparatively small mass 'of metal concentrated at the outer surface of the ball, the same weight as isv obtained by using a solid rubber sphere of the same external diameter. The concentration vof the mass at the surface ofthe ball gives to that ball the maximum degree of rotary momentum under a given spin,and thufienables me to attain both the maximum "('fiiving effect from the blow of the club and also the maximum carrying eflect resulting from the persistence of the spin during the flight of the Referring now to the drawings Fig. 1 illustrates a golf ball in which I use a thin, highly tempered steel shell 1, as a basis for my improved construction. This shell. is made preferably in two halves united by a .lap joint, which can be brazed or welded so as to firmly unite the two parts.

The steelshell only 1/64 of an inch in thickness and 1-3/4 inches diameter will.

weigh nearly 1/2 as much as a solid rubber ball of the same external dimensions; and a steel plate of this thickness can be readily spun up or hot drawn to the required hemispherical shape. After having been shaped Babbitt metal or brass are then secured to to the required form, a. series of symmetrically and uniformly disposed holes are punched or drilled in each hemispherical half of the shell and it is next hardened and tempered in oil, the usual precautions being taken to prevent distortion of the parts during this o eration. A series of buttons of some heav dense metal, like lead or better as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A convenient method of doing this is shown in the latter figure which represents a portion of a hemispherical female die with holes 3, 3, drilled in its surface to receive the buttons 2, 2. The buttons are put in place in this die with the one half of the steel hemis fiere 1, in position over them and are all riveted itno the shell by a single stroke of the male die 4. The two halves of the shell are then secured together as before stated, and the exterior is covered with a layer 6 of rubber, gutta percha or leather molded preferably to conform to the button studded surface of the metal shell beneath, and cemented or vulcanized in place thereon in the usual manner. The hollow interior is then filled with air .or gas under pressure through a suitable nipple opening in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, and hereafter more fully described. In some cases however this external cover may be disthe inner shell 7, isof heavy sheetrubber molded with a uniform and symmetrically disposed series of segmental cups or .hol-

lows in which are placed correspondingly shaped metal buttons, 8, 8, the rubber shell and metal buttons being secured to each other by cementing or vulcanizing inthe usual manner. The composite'rubber metal shell. is then slightly inflated through the hollow metal nipple 9, so as to give it a true spherical shape and it is .then covered by a thin layer of copper, nickel or similar soft metal. may be formed in two-halves, which are 'firmly united by interlocking the edges as This second soft metal shell, 10,

to form a seamless metallic shell; which is completely closed except at the nipple opening 9, which is protected by a pm orplug.

The outer cover 12 of leather, rubber or gutta percha is next applied to the shell, 10, and cemlented or vulcanized "thereto. A small opening 13, is left in this outer cover surrounding the nipple opening 9, through the two inner shells. The ball is then filled with air or gas at a: high pressure, the opening, 9, hermetically sealed and'the conical hole, 13, in the cover 12, filled in with a plug of material similar to that of which the rest of -'the cover is composed, this plug being likewise firmly cemented. or vulcanized to the other parts of the ball. The pressure in the hermetically sealed interioris great enough tostrain the sdft metalshell, 10, to just about the elastic lim't of the material of which it is composed. nder such circumstances this thin metal shell will become flexible and pliable and will readily follow the movements of the inner rubber shell and outer cover; the three combined layers of rubber, metal, and covering material, acting under the high pneumatic pressure within the ball, as a very resilient and highly elastic shell, which isat the' same time sufiiciently heavy to give the ball great driving and. carrying power;'mu'ch greater in fact than it would be possible to obtain with a solid rubber ball 'of=the usual construction.

In Fig. 4 I show an apparatus which can be conveniently used in the final inflation and sealing of the balls constructed as above described. This apparatus consists of an air chamber, just large enough to contain a ball, covered by a removable cap, in the cen ter of which is a stufli-ng box 15, through which is passed the stem of an electrically heated soldering iron, 16. A pipe 17 leads from the chamber, 14, to a three way cook,

1.8,;by means of which the chamber may be put into communication with a source, 19, of compressed air or gas or with an exhaust opening 20. The ball is placed in the chamber, 14, withits nipple opening, 9, on top and held in position against accidental displacement in suitable spring clamps or other preferred form of support. The cap is then closed down and clamped in place and compressed air or gas admitted to the chamber through the cock 18. The cock 1 8, is then closed, the hot iron, 16, is depressed to solder up the nipple opening, 9, then raised again, and the cock, 18, opened. The inflated and sealed ball can then be removed from the chamber by opening the cap, another ball placed therein and the. operation repeated.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6, I provide an inner plain spherical shell or ball of sheet rubber, and cover this directly with an "outer composite shell of metal and leather, or metal and gutta percha, 22, molded on the exterior to suitable formand provided on its interior with a series of uniformly disposed pockets, containing the metallic buttons, 23, 23, etc. is preferably made in two parts, united at their meeting edges by sewing-if leather is usedor by vulcanizing, if gutta percha is used, or in any other suitable manner. If desired a continuous band, 24, of spring steel or other highly elastic metal may be inserted between the joining edges of the outer cover to further stiffen the ball at this joint and preserve the symmetry of weight distribution. Before applying the outer cover a triangular cut, 25, is made in the inner rubher shell, 21, and when the outer cover, 22, is .put in place, a small inflation tube, 26, is inserted through said cover so as to enter the opening, 25, and push back the flap of the cut as shown in Fig. 6. The ball may then be inflated and sealed in any desired manner, as for example, by means of the apparatus shown in Fig. 9. This apparatus is similar in general construction to that shown in Fig. 5 save that the soldering iron is replaced by a sealing tube which is made in three parts as best-shown in cross-section in Fig. 8. The lower part 27 is provided with a taper socket to receive the shank of the inflation tube 26 and this is held in place by a snap catch which can be disengaged by a finger lever 29. Above the socket is an enlarged central opening,

30-, which communicates with the ouside space through one or more openings, 31. The

' upper end of tube, 27, is internally threaded for the attachment thereto of the middle part, 32, which is also hollow and is closed at its upper end by the screw plug, 33. The lower end of the tube, 32, is prolonged downward into a feed nozzle, 34, which terminates j ust'above the coned opening in the inflation tube, 26. The central chamber of the tube is This outer shell filled with rubber cement or equivalent material, which can be forced out through the nozle, 34, by means of the screw plug, 33.

In the operation of filling and sealing the cap of the air chamber is thrown back, and the inflation tube and ball attached to the sealing tube, 27 in themanner indicated in 34, by the screw plug, 33, so as to pass down through the bore of the inflation tube, 26, and coat the interior. surfaces of the opening, 25. A further withdrawal of the tubes, 32 and 26, allows this opening to be closed and a slight reduction in the external air pressure, automatically completes the sealing of said opening by the action of the unbalanced internal pressure on the contacting edges of the cut. Instead of using cement to seal the joint 25, I may do this by using a strip, 35, of raw or uncured rubber, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6.

Instead of fillingthe inner chambers of the balls shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 6 with compressed air or gas alone I generally prefer to fill them with the substance known as pneumastic or a similar spongy or gelatinous compound introduced with air or gas under pressure after the ball has been made up as already described.

In the construction'shown in Fig. 7 a core or filling 36 of some very light but preferably elastic material like block cork or compressed granulated cork or corn pith or similar substance, is first formed. This is coated on the exterior, preferably first with a thin layer of pure sheet rubber, 37, and then with a layer of metal, 38. This layer of metal may be put on by electro deposition as before described, or it may be applied in the form of thin sheet foil or wire wound in layers, or it may be applied as a granulated or powdered mass, mixed with rubber cement, or rubber solution. In all cases the mass of loading metal thus apweight and rotativemomentum of the, ball v is obtained by loading its outer periphery with. some heavy nonelastic metal, while with the constructions illustrated in Figs' 3 and 6.

It will be observed that in all of theconstructions herein described, the necessary the necessary resilience and. elasticity is secured by 'supportingthis metal mass by means of a resilient and highly elastic shell subjected to and reinforced by internal pneumatic pressure.

ing. of very light, spongy, elastic or semielastic material, such as pneumastic, granulated cork,-corn pith or similar substance,

which will aid in preserving the form and shape-of the outer compositesh ell, and in retaining the compressed air or 'gaswithout adding sensibly to the weight of the ball..

It will be further observed that my invention involves the symmetrical distribution of jt he structural material about the center ofithe spherical surface so that the center of gravity of the ball coincides agcurately.

and exactly with the center of figi re. The attainment of this result is of th utmost importance as the slightest deviation from coincidence of these two centers Will cause the ball toiduck or dodge in its line of flight through the air and to deviate from the straight line of putt when playing. on the greens. The provision of an accurately formed inner core or shell to support the loading Weights and the outer cover of the ball and the reinforcement of this core or shell by an internal pneumatic pressure is I prefer also to fill. the interior of the shell with aicore or fill- 1,1e2,eoo

of great assistance in attaining and main-' taming tlns necessary symmetry of mass distribution both in the'i'nitial manufacture and in the subsequent use of the ball.

It is apparent that with this disclosure as basis other constructions embodying my invention may also be devised by those skilled in the art.

Having described my invention what 1 claim is:- i

1. A golf ball having a relatively thin highlyelastic and-resilient shell, loaded with a heavy nonelastic mass of metal symmetrically disposed about the center of the shell and close to the outer surface thereof,

and a core. or -filling-- of very light non- .metallic material which forms a supportfor the said shell. r

'2. A golf. ball having a relatively thin but highly elastic and resilient. shell loaded with a heavy nonelastic mass of metal which is symmetrically disposed about the center of the shell and close to the outer surface thereof, and a porouscore or filling -of very light nonmetallic material forming a support for the outer shell and being charged with air or gas under-considerable) pressure. Y

. 3.. A golf ball having a highly elastic and resilient shell containing a series of de-- pressed pockets projecting inwardly toward [the center of. the shell and filled with a heavy nonelastic metal the mass of which is symmetrically disposed about the center of the shell, the interior of the shell being chargedwith air or gas under considerable pressure.

- In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name inthe presenceof two subscribing w-ltnesses.

.FRANK L. o. WADSWORTH. In the presence of+ CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS, 1 JOHN H. 'RONEY. 

